Mourinho Strong Enough To Cope With Manchester United Critics

The two-time Champions League winner has come in for harsh judgement following a period of poor form but received backing from one of his former players

Jose Mourinho is well able to withstand the criticism coming his way following a turbulent month at Manchester United, according to Edgaras Jankauskas.

The current Lithuania manager won a Champions League title as a player under the Special One with Porto in 2004 and says Mourinho will understand that harsh judgements are part and parcel of life in the Old Trafford hot seat.

“He’s strong enough and smart enough to cope with it,” Jankauskas told Goal. “I don’t see that as a big issue. He developed that strength and skin to cope with that.”

Mourinho presided over Premier League losses to Manchester City and Watford – as well as a Europa League fixture at Feyenoord – which led to widespread questioning of his methods scarcely three months into his reign.

Mourinho recovered his golden touch in last week’s 4-1 dismissal of champions Leicester – ahead of which he lashed out at “Einsteins” seeking to erase his managerial credentials which include two Champions League titles.

“The criticism is part of the game,” Jankauskas said. “He is very experienced and he knows the rules of the game. He knows the credit is very short.

“If a club of the dimension of Manchester United is not performing in two or three games, he knows that the critics will be happy to do their job.”